Your bone health is primarily significant for supporting your body, providing structure, protecting your vital organs, and acting as attachment sites for muscles for movement. Additionally, bones are in charge of storing minerals like calcium and phosphorus, releasing them into the body as needed. Bones may become brittle and frail as a result of a variety of factors. This may result in breaks and fractures, as well as long-term health problems. Thus, we will be discussing major factors that make or break bones.

Determinants of bone health:

1.Nutritious Diet

Maintaining a diet that is low in calcium and vitamin D can increase your risk of getting osteoporosis or bone-density loss. For the skeleton to grow and develop properly, nutrition is a crucial step. The three macronutrients—protein, fat, and carbohydrates as well as micronutrients such dietary calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D make up the majority of diets. Thus, a diet full of essential nutrients may help in preventing bone loss and bone diseases.

2.Physical Activity

Osteoporosis is also more likely to strike those who lead an inactive lifestyle. Similar to how muscle strength needs exercise to stay strong, dense, and resilient, so do bones. One of the most significant factors determining peak bone mass appears to be regular physical exercise during growth. Therefore, to achieve optimum bone mass, one must maximize bone mass density (BMD) growth during the first 25 years of life by proper physical activity and reduce BMD decline beyond age 40 owing to endocrine changes associated with aging through regular physical activity. This simple method might lessen the likelihood of fractures in later life.

3.Body Weight

When it comes to bone health, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial. As you become older, being underweight can put you at greater risk for fractures and bone loss. However, despite the fact that weight gain has a generally positive impact on bone health, carrying too much weight may not always be favorable. A higher BMI has a stronger effect on high risk of getting osteoporosis (as measured by BMD) than it does on lowering the prevalence of fractures.

4.Tobacco and Alcohol Use

Use of tobacco can decrease bone mass and raise your risk of fractures and breaks. The same impacts on bone density may also result from excessive alcohol consumption.

5.Gender

Osteoporosis is more common in women than in males. This is owing to the fact that women’s bones are smaller and they lose bone density more quickly than males do as a result of menopausal hormone changes.

6.Age

Your body may start to absorb calcium and phosphate from your bones rather than storing them there as you get older because your bones gradually grow thinner and weaker. Bone loss may also result from hormonal changes brought on by aging, such as reductions in estrogen and testosterone levels.

7.Ethnicity

Osteoporosis is more prevalent in people of Asian and European origin than in those of other races. For women who are of Asian and European origin, this is especially true. Although the risk is lower, other ethnic groups like those of African and Latino heritage are also at risk.

8. Family background

It is one of the high-risk factors that it may pass onto you if any of your close relatives have osteoporosis or have shattered a bone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you get evaluated for osteoporosis sooner if one of your parents has ever broken a bone, has weak brittle bones or bone related issues.

Tips to Improve Bone Health:

You can control or delay bone loss by following a few easy measures:

1.Calcium should be a large part of your diet: The Recommend Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium is 1,000 milligrams (mg) per day for individuals ages 19 to 50 and for men ages 51 to 70. For men and women who are 71 years of age and older, the dosage increases to 1,200 mg per day.

Dairy products, almonds, broccoli, kale, canned salmon with bones, sardines, and soy products like tofu are all excellent sources of calcium. If it’s hard for you to consume enough calcium through diet alone, talk to your doctor about taking supplements such as BonAid-D or Calci Vit tablets which include high doses of calcium to strengthen bone health.

2.Be mindful of intake of vitamin D: For your body to absorb calcium, you need vitamin D. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D for adults is 600 international units (IU) per day. For persons 71 years of age and above, the suggested daily intake rises to 800 IU.

Salmon, trout, whitefish, and other oily fish are excellent sources of vitamin D. In addition, fortified foods like milk and cereals, as well as mushrooms and eggs, are excellent sources of vitamin D. Additionally, sunlight helps the body make vitamin D. If it’s not enough, consult a doctor for supplements like Vilgo-D or D-Tab which contains more than 2000 IU of Vitamin D in it which is enough to fill the gap inside your body.

3. Include physical activity in your daily routine: You can strengthen your bones and reduce bone loss by engaging in weight-bearing workouts like walking, jogging, and climbing stairs.

4. Avoid substance abuse: Avoid smoking or consuming more than one alcoholic beverage every day if you’re a woman. Men should limit their alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks each day.

To learn more about how to maximize your bone health. Here’s a video by the University of California that might give you deep insight regarding it.